


Wander the Stars

by SLUG_CAT624



Series: Wander the Stars [1]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: 10K+ Words, Angst, Bloodshed & War, Bounty Hunters, Climate Change, Creepy!Dooku, Dubious Ethics, Earth, English is NOT Basic, Famine - Freeform, Feelings, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Experiments, Force Ghost Qui-Gon Jinn, Forcespeak, Graphic Deception of Injuries, Hints of dark!Anakin, Horror, Hurt, Hurt OCs, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, ISS | International Space Station, Jayfeather (Warriors) cameo, Language Barrier, Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah', Long-Distance Relationship, Mad Scientist Dooku, Major Character Injury, Mando'a, Mary Poppins References, Mass Murder, Medical Experimentation, Medical Horror, Melida/Daan, Midi-chlorians, Modified Self Insert, Multi, Nightmares, One Time OCs, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pollution - Freeform, Pop Culture Refrances, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Torture, Re-write, The Dark Side of the Force, Third Time's A Charm - Rewriting AGAIN!, Threesome - F/F/F, Torture, Visions, Working Draft, Zero Gravity, cursing, mental manipulation, war zone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 06:04:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17218376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLUG_CAT624/pseuds/SLUG_CAT624
Summary: Two weeks after the beginning of the CLONE WARS, Dooku is spotted far beyond the Outer Rim, on the third plant of system TERRA 46-B.  The Jedi Council sends Master OBI-WAN KENOBI and his padawan, ANAKIN SKYWALKER, to investigate.  Little do the Jedi know, Dooku is laying the groundwork to OVERTHROW his Master, DARTH SIDIOUS, and rule the galaxy.  But Terra 46-B PL3 has more in store for the Sith and Jedi alike then anyone can imagine."Skywalker should count as at least 10 younglings." ~Mace, Ch 10A/N:The author has scared herself out of her wits when characterizing Dooku.  Like genuinely.  Tell me this Dooku isn't scary.





	1. Silhouettes in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> ~IMPORTANT NOTES~  
> Hello, and welcome to my 'if Earth was in SW' AU. Unlike many other AUs, SW dose NOT exist on Earth (or Terra 46-B PL3). I'm trying to keep this as realistic as possible, while keeping a good balance of both canon, fanon, and legend influences. Please be patient, (this is my third time re-writing it, and I may do it again) and enjoy the ride!
> 
> /Text/ - Forcespeak  
> \- This can be used for speaking though a master/apprentice force bond (or another type of force bond)  
> \- It can also be used when something is being ‘projected’ though the force
> 
> A Note on the Original Characters…  
> \- All of them were based on real life people, though as I’ve re-wrote this over the years, they have developed into something completely different. Thanks to my 7th and 8th grade social studies teachers and a few of my 8th grade friends as the original models!  
> \- One of the OCs is a shameless self-insert. *shrugs* What can I say? Haven’t done one yet, and everyone has too. Might as well make it epic!
> 
> Special Thanks to...  
> \- My brother  
> \- 'Agent Jovejoy'  
> \- My Civics teacher  
> \- My 8th-grade art friends  
> \- My beta IRL A. H.  
> \- My Geometry teacher

 

 

##  ****

##  **Part 1: Earth**

{}{}{}

**Chapter 1: Silhouettes in the Dark**

The gym's floor had long since lost its proud shine, and there was the constant smell of ozone in the air. The walls were scorched from blaster bolts, and a watery sunlight filtered down through the shattered ceiling. The men and women scurried around the room like ants in a nest, and jury-rigged cables snaked across the floor to the makeshift generator in the center of the room.  A dozen old Dell desktops lined one wall, with damage ranging from a cracked screen to exposed circuits that sparked and buzzed, held only out of harm's way by a few strips of duct tape. A half dozen televisions were spread along the remaining walls, old school desks ringing around them.

The people were mostly young men and women, some little more than children, and they had the odd shrunken appearance of someone who spent their early years with enough to eat but failed to satisfy their hunger now.  Hair greasy and shaggy, cloths ragged, some people trembled when they walked. A mother and her crying baby sat in a corner, the mother’s silent tears contrasting with the baby’s wails for food. Another woman- only a few years her minor, knelt beside her.

“Do you know what it’s like, Martha, to bring a new life into the world only to condemn it to death?”  The mother’s tears glittered in the sunlight.

The younger woman, Martha, spoke her eyes far away. “No.  I can’t bare my own.” Martha swallowed. “But it’s an old pain.  One ache in meny now.”

“Perhaps that’s better.  Perhaps-”

Martha shook her head, brown waves of hair bouncing.  “No. Anyone with the gift of motherhood is blessed. The future is not condemned for your son, or for any of us.”

They sit in silence, as the baby begins to quiet, sharing burdens and grieving for the world.

{}{}{}

“Sandra’s baby died.”

Martha looks up from the papers scattered on an old wooden school desk.  “I know. I was there.”

The short, stout teen the same age as Martha slides onto the bench, straddling her.  “Burn off some steam with us, dove. We miss you.” Martha sighs and leans in to her arms, their breaths mingling.

“There’s work to be done, Jade.  Duty can’t wait.”

Jade’s eyes harden.  “It can and it will. Don’t think we don’t see the tremble in your hands.”  Jade takes Martha’s hands in hers’, fingers so small and delicate they looked like a skeleton’s bone ones.  

Martha leaned a little closer, slightly breathless.  “Lust is a trivial thing Jade, and it has no place in a war.”

“On the contrary, love most certainly does have its place in war.” Jade purred in Martha’s ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

“Love and lust are not one and the same, Jade.  You know-”

“Fuck it.”  Jade smashes her lips- hot and wet- against Martha’s.

“We have a breach near the Wendy’s parking lot.”  Both girls jump, and Martha turns slightly pink. Jade stands and pulls the smaller girl to her feet, as Martha stutters apologies.

“I’m terribly sorry Dave.  It-”

“Doesn't matter, Martha.”  Dave’s dark beard concealed a tiny smile.  “Your not my student anymore. Come. We’ll try and nip this new wave of ‘bots in the bud.”

{}{}{}

The abandoned Wendy’s parking lot was eerily silent.  The black asphalt had faded to a light grey from misuse and the sun, and it was riddled with large potholes and patches of weeds and dandelions.  The trio crouched behind a large chunk of plaster from the bombed restaurant, peering through a nearly invisible crack running diagonal along the debris.

“Nothing’s here,” Jade muttered, frowning.  “Who called it in?”

“Don’t know.” Dave muttered back.  “Came from an anonymous tip.”

“Look!” Martha whispered as a silhouette of a man appeared in the shadows of another rubble pile seemingly out of nowhere.

“Creepy,” Jade whispered.  “It’s like he came out of thin air.”  Dave cocked his blaster and slowly rose to his feet, silently motioning for the two women to stay behind him.  Jade slipped Martha a knife while she readied a small handgun.

The man stepped into the sunlight.  He was an older man, dressed in dark clothes trimmed with silver with a long, billowing cloak.  When he walked, he boots made a heavy _thud_ , louder than they should have, like the soles were made of rock.   _Or concealing something else,_ Martha thought.  A silver cylinder was clipped to his belt.  When they were a dozen feet away from the man, he lifted one hand.  Both Dave and Jade slumped to the ground.

“Come with me, and your friends will not be harmed.”  The man spoke in a rumbling, brassy, tenor. It was rather pleasant to listen to.  A strange, dark warmth filled Martha as she stared into the man’s golden eyes.

 _/Come with me./_ A voice purred in her head.   _/It’s easy, so easy… Come with me… Martha/_ The sound of her name jolted her back to reality.  She realised she was now just a foot away from the man- she must have been walking towards him- and tore her face away from his gaze and ground her heels into the asphalt. _What am I doing?!_  Her knife arm was shaking but she raised it anyway, preparing to strike a blow to his face-

-Her fingers spasmed and the knife fell from her hand, nicking her palm on the way down.  She put her whole willpower in staring at the small stream of blood. _Don’t look, don’t look…_

The man grabbed her face and she gasped.  He forced her eyes to meet his.

“So strong already.  No wonder my Master fears you.”

“Your Mas-ster is s-smar-ter than you th-hen.”  Martha felt ice creep along her veins, slowly paralyzing her.

“But you are a fool to fight against me.  With you, I will rule the galaxy, my Master and Skywalker dead at my feet.  I have foreseen it.”

“I’ll never join you.”

The man smiled.  “We shall see.” Martha crumpled into the man’s arms and he strood away, cloak billowing behind him.

Count Dooku had work to do.

{}{}{}

Darth Sidious sat in a concealed meditation chamber in the Chancoller’s Office, deep in the currents of the dark side.  He had been sensing _discontent_ from his apprentice recently, but that trivial matter did not worry him.  He sensed Dooku was _hiding something_ , and there would be repercussions for his actions.  Sidious dived deeper into the oily blackness of the dark side, tearing and ripping, chaining beasts and locking monsters away, untill…

 _There._  

_He stood on the ashy slopes of Mustafar, and saw himself and Skywalker approaching.  He became aware of another presence, a dark star to rival the Chosen One’s light. A young woman, with dark ringlets of hair looking black in the flickering red light, and bloodshot golden eyes._

And even Sidious couldn’t deny how the force spoke in that moment.

It called for he and Skywalker’s death.

“A foolish move, my apprentice.  You will pay for your treachery.” _But for now I must wait.  Dooku has yet to betray me.  Time remains, but it is limited._

He called an aid to his Chambers.

“Send summons to Jedi Anakin Skywalker.  Say the Chancellor requests his presence.”

As the underling bowed and left, Sidious drummed his fingers on the dark wood of his desk, and considered.


	2. Hook, Line, Sinker

Obi-Wan Kenobi was dreaming.

_ He was in the Map Room of the Temple Archives, holographic stars and galaxies swirling around him.  The Force whispered, and he let it guide him to a small system in Wild Space… _

_...Two voices spoke. _

_ “I have nothing.  My faith, my god has long abandoned me.  But I can’t bring myself to believe in… this Force… not yet.” _

_ “Do you trust me?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ “Then trust me when I say this- you do not have to embrace the will of the force, but believe in him.  He will provide for you, as you will provide for him.” _

_ “I’ve never had a father.” _

_ “Then let him be one.” _

_ The Archives disappeared, and he was looking down in a sterile medical chamber.  A young woman was strapped to a table as she spasmed, and Count Dooku looked on. _

_ The Separatist army invading a blue-green planet. _

_ A mother weeping over her infant son. _

_ “Find them, Padawan.  The fate of the galaxy is at stake.” _

Obi-Wan Kenobi woke up, heart pounding and Qui-Gon’s voice in his head.

{}{}{}

“Anakin, my boy!  Come in, come in!”

Anakin Skywalker bowed politely.  “Chancellor.” He stood in the doorway until the Chancellor ushered him again.

“Oh none of that, my dear boy, do come and have some tea.”  Anakin sat in the chair across from the Chancellor’s, and brought the tea cup to his lips.  He blinked, a surprised look on his face.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had this blend before, Chancellor.”

The Chancellor stood up from his desk and walked towards the window that gave a panoramic view of the Senatorial District.

“I expect not, Anakin.  It’s sapir, and it’s extremely hard to come by now, with the war expelling merchants from their trade routes.”  The Chancellor lowered his voice. “Sapir was also rumored to be Master Jinn’s favorite blend.”

Anakin’s eyes lit up.  “You knew Master Jinn?”

The Chancellor smiled.  “For a short time during the liberation of Naboo, yes.  I wouldn’t say I knew him long, but I’d like to say I knew him well.”

“Could you tell me more about Qui-Gon?”

The Chancellor looked regretful.  “Perhaps another time, Anakin. I’ve recently acquired some information that could help us end this conflict- but we must act fast.”  The Chancellor turned some dials on his desk, and the room darkened and a holographic map of the outer rim appeared. “I need you to go this system here.  Intel has recently come in that Dooku has been spotted.”

Anakin’s eyes darkened, and his mechanical hand curled into a fist.  “I’ll find him.”

“I know you can, Anakin, but it’s deep in Wild Space.  Do be careful.”

Anakin was already halfway out the door.  He turned back.

“Don’t worry, Chancellor.  I’ll bring you Dooku’s head.”

{}{}{}

Anakin stormed into the Kenobi/Skywalker quarters in the temple, still enraged but in a slightly less foul mood.  Anakin sighed as he looked around the empty living space. He and his Master had been put on medical leave for their injuries when they battled Dooku.  His master, being the stubborn man that he was, had managed to haul himself to a cruiser before a clone found him collapsed in the hall from blood loss.  Dooku’s blade had nicked a major artery in his leg, and a significant amount of muscle was burned away by Dooku’s blade. One of the healers at the temple managed to pull some strings and managed to get some sort of cloned replacement tissue, but Obi-Wan’s leg would never be the same.

Anakin gathered the various tea cups scattered around the space with a slight smile.  Despite his Master’s obsession for tidiness, he always left a trail of tea cups wherever he went it seemed.  

“Master, I’m home.” / _ You better not be doing anything strenuous, I don’t want your scary fish friend to yell at me./ _

_ /Anakin, that’s very impolite.  And Bant is a very good friend of mine, we grow up together./ _

Anakin approached the door to his Master’s bedroom and knocked.  “Hey, can I come in?”

“Of course.”  Anakin slid the door open and frowned at the massive stack of data pads that surrounded his master where he sat at his desk.

“This can’t be good for you, Master.”  He frowned at the dark circles under Obi-Wan’s eyes.  “How long have you been doing this?”

Obi-Wan sighed.  “All night.”

That made Anakin’s frown grow.  Normally, his master would deny something was wrong until he collapsed.  He dragged over a chair that sat in the corner of the room and sat down next to Obi-Wan.  “What’s up?”

The action seemed to shake Obi-Wan out of whatever he was in.  He smiled, and shook his head.

“Nothing, Anakin.  Though I suspect something's ‘up’ with you if that wave of negative emotions when you walked in was anything to go by.”

As if on reflex, Anakin’s hated for Dooku swelled to the surface again.  “It’s nothing, Master,” he grounded out.

Obi-Wan sighed deeply.  “Very well. Tell me how your meeting with the Chancellor went.”

Anakin clenched his newly reconstructed hand into a fist.  “He got intel on the location of Dooku. Beyond the Outer Rim, system Terra 46-B.”  The force flickered ever so slightly around his Master, and then the iron shields around his presence in the force were up again.

“Master?”

“We must report to the council,  _ immetiety. _ ”

{}{}{}

Dooku looked through the observation deck into the medical theater, as the droids prepped it for surgery.  He scrolled through the file the droids had brought him on the girl his master feared so much.

_ Gender: Female _

_ Species: Human _

_ Planet of Origin: Terra 46-B-PL3 (Earth) _

_ Hight: 5’ 4” _

_ Weight: 40 kilo _

_ Other: Hair_Brown.  Eyes_Hazel.  Complextion_white. _

The idea came to him when he first boarded the ship, and saw the drying blood on the girls right hand.  It wasn’t until the results of the blood test came in that the girl’s potential was revealed.

She had no midichlorians.  By all defenions of life as he knew it, she shouldn’t be alive.  Yet, undoubtedly, she was. 

As his time as a Jedi, though it was few and far between, he had watched Jedi die from perfectly treatable injuries- if they weren't force sensitive.  For whatever reason (Dooku never bothered to find out) a Force sensitive can’t take blood transplants, even from other force sensitives. Master Kenobi has gotten extraordinary lucky that day.  If the cut had been a centimeter wider, he would be dead. He would have bleed out and his body, even with the force helping, wouldn’t have been able to compensate for the loss.

But what about  _ adding  _ force sensitivity to someone?  Injecting midichlorians into a person that not only wasn’t force sensitive, but  _ didn’t have any in the first place _ .  And Kenobi didn’t know just  _ how _ long he had been under on Genosis.  Dooku had acquired quite a bit of…  _ resources  _ from his grand-padawan.  Now he knew why the force wanted him to do so.  He was puzzled at the time, yes, but now…

The opportunity was just too great.

“Bring in the captive.”

“Roger, roger.”


	3. Omens of Stars

The chamber where the Jedi High Council convened sat atop a soaring spire, the highest building in the nearby skyline.  A hoverlift containing Obi-Wan Kenobi and his padawan, Anakin Skywalker, made its way to the top. As always, Anakin looked eagerly out the window as they flew high above the surrounding buildings, forever fascinated by Corosaunt’s skyscrapers so different from his desert home.  Also per usual, Obi-Wan Kenobi looked away, slightly green. The doors slid open and Obi-Wan practically ran out of them.

“Too much like flying, Master?” Anakin teased.  Obi-Wan sighed, and they made their way to the arching doors of the council chamber.  They opened at their approach. As they stepped over the raised threshold, Obi-Wan's knee buckled ever so slightly, and Anakin immediately hovered his hand over the small of the older man’s back.  Obi-Wan shot Anakin a scathing glare, and he withdrew his hand with an eye roll.

“Master Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker,” Mace greeted them.  All the seats were empty except Mace and Yoda’s.

_ /Are we not reporting to a full council?/ _

_ /I never said we were, Padawan./ _

“Come, young Obi-Wan.”  Yoda gestured to the seat beside him.  “Sit, hmm?”

Obi-Wan looked scandalised at the thought of sitting in a council member’s seat, and reflexifly took a step back-

Which sent his left leg crumbling beneath him.  Anakin immediately tried to help him up, which brought a string of curses so foul that had Anakin jumping back in pure shock and Yoda chuckling.  Mace pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“Damn it, Obi-Wan, sit in the bloody chair.”  With much grumbling, the redhead did indeed sit down next to Yoda, who put one clawed hand on his bad leg and sent healing waves though the force.  Obi-Wan sighed with relief.

“Force above… thank you Master.”  Yoda nodded. 

“ _ Are you not on  _ any _ painkillers, Master?! _ ” Anakin yelped. Obi-Wan sighed.

“Interfere with his connection to the force, they do, young Skywalker.”

Anakin’s eyes widened at Yoda’s statement.  “Oh.” And then a smaller- “Sorry, Master.”

Obi-Wan waved a dismissive hand.  “Forgiven, Anakin. Now, to business.  Anakin, would you like to recount your meeting with the Chancellor.”  As Anakin recounted what the Chancellor told him, his master’s force presence drew more and more in on itself, tightly coiled with tension.

_ /Hey, you ok?/ _

_ /Fine./ _

_ /Kark, stop lying, Master./ _

_ /Please, Anakin./ _  His thoughts sounded bitter though the force.

Yoda turned to Obi-Wan.  “And your vision, young Obi-Wan?”

“It confirms the system the Chancellor told Anakin of.  Dooku invaded, the planets inhabitants dying.” He’s voice was crisp and detached, not his own.

Yoda nodded.  Mace begin speaking again.  “You’ll need a ship then. I believe-”

“ _ Wait! _ Hold on- that’s it?!”

“ _ Anakin- _ ”

“Your just going to let us go-”

“We might reconsider it if you don’t  _ shut up _ , Skywalker.” Mace growled.

“But-”

_ “Skywalker!” _

_ “Padawan!!” _

Anakin rolled his eyes.  “Fine. I was just curious.”

Mace inhaled deeply.  “If you must know, Skywalker, your Master’s visions are not something to take lightly.  This council has learned that many times over.”

Obi-Wan stood abruptly.  “Let’s go, padawan.”

“Master-”

“I said,  _ let’s go.” _

{}{}{}

Martha slowly came to awareness.  It was painful and slow, like she was swimming through tar.  She dragged her eyelids open and reflexifly closed them again from the searing sterile brightness of wherever she was.  Her head pounded as she opened her eyes again, blinking the room into view.

For a moment, she thought the hell she had been though had been a coma dream, and she was home, in the hospital on Charleston Drive, her mother coming to greet her with a kiss on the cheek and her brother a smile.

“I hope you find your accommodations suitable.”  The man who spoke had and almost grandfatherly look to him, and yet her mind screamed not to trust him.

Martha let out a scathing reply even as she trembled.  “Yes, the bashing my head took has done wonders for my health.”

The man smiled.  It was unsettling.  “Ah, almost as bad as Master Kenobi.  You don’t remember what happened? That is of no consequence.”

“I know I shouldn’t trust you.”  Immediately, she knew she had said the wrong thing.  The man sneered, and his brown eyes flickered gold. Her throat closed up and she was choking, gagging, straining for air.  Suddenly, as quickly as the tightness came on, it was gone. She panted, fingers clutching the bed sheets. 

“Not many have said that to my face and lived girl,” he sneered.  “Now tell me, have you heard of the Force?”

That’s when the burning begin.

{}{}{}

Jade sat on the moss covered steps behind the old school building, watching the rain fall from under the overhang.  Movement caught her eye, and a small group of cats crawled out from the sewer, covered in grime. They eyed each other wearly, and Jade drew her pistol and fired.

The scrawny baby deer that came out of the wooded area nearby fell to the ground, and the cat’s flocked towards it, ripping the carcass to shreds in seconds.  One, a grey one with bright blue eyes, held back and stared at her. A golden tabby nudged him to the meal. In a matter of minutes, nothing but bones remained, and the group slipped away again.

“That was kind of you,” a soft voice said behind her, and Jade sighed, pulling the blond down for a kiss.

“It’s what she would have done.”  The other blond teenager sighed and sat beside her, the rain soaked wind dampening her hair.  Jade threw her knife, and it hit a rain soaked tree with a  _ smack _ .  “They tested the rain water today.  It’s too contaminated to drink, and were down to our last of the reserve gallons we have, Ella.”  Jade stared at the blond, and Ella swallowed.

“How much?”

“Less than a week for the 50 people we house here.”

A grim silence settled over the pair.  Ella spoke.

“Then we leave.  Take Dave, one gallon for the three of us, and-”

“No.  Too dangerous.” Jade snapped curtly.  “There are raiders out there, just waiting for a chance like that.”  A shaking breath. “Plus, Martha would never forgive us if we left them to die alone.”  A drop of rain landed on her nose and she wiped it away, leaving a grey streak on her face behind.

“She might not be dead, you know.  If that man had wanted her, or any of us dead, he could have killed us right then and there.”

“She might as well be, he took off in a _bloody_ _spaceship!”_ Jade through another knife into the ground, were it landed vertical in the grey mud of what used to be a baseball field.  Ella stood, placing a hand on Jade’s shoulder. 

“Come inside.”  The door closed solidly behind them.

The next day, the back steps were covered in wildflowers and green things, petals scattering in the sunlight breeze.  A vigil. A repayment. An sign for hope.


	4. Emotion, Yet Peace

**Chapter 4: Emotion, Yet Peace**

Anakin watched his master out of the corner of his eye, unsettled.  He was hiding something, Anakin knew, and it infuriated him.  _ Even after all this time, he still doesn't trust you _ , the demon in him snarls, and he reflexly gripped the ships controls tighter.

“Are you alright, Anakin?”  Gods, that infuriating Corusaunti lit-

_ “I’m fine.” _ he snarls.  His master places a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s alright to be afraid, Anakin.”   _ Oh, of course that’s his bloody defalt, that I’m a coward. _

“I never said that.”  Anakin slams his mental shields up, he doesn't notice the concern in Obi-Wan’s voice though the red haze of anger.  He stands and stalks out of the cockpit.

“Ships on autopilot,” Anakin grumbles over his shoulder.

{}{}{}

Obi-Wan watches his Padawan storm out of the cockpit, and he sighs, rubbing his eyes that ache from lack of sleep.   _ He really needs to be his best for this mission.  We’re quite literally going into unknown territory, Force knows what trouble will run into. _  He finds himself pulling out his comlink, and dialing a number that he hasn’t for a  _ very long _ time.  His finger hesitates over the  _ send _ button, and then presses it.  After a few rings it picks up, and he can hear shuffling in the background before there’s a verbal answer.

“You do realize it’s three in the morning on Mandalore, my dear.  Though I am glad to finally hear from you, Obi.” Obi-Wan winces.

“Sorry Satine, you know how my internal clock is disrupted when I’m in hyperspace for a long time.”

A yawn, and then- “Another mission then?  You’ve been all over the news lately.” she mummers sleepily.

“Satine, Dooku’s been located beyond the outer rim.  I…” He hesitates.

“It won’t be like Outbound Flight, Obi’ika.”  She sounds fully alert now.

“It’s not that… Anakin, something's bothering him.  I just wish he would tell me!”

“Were there not frustrations you refused to tell Qui-Gon Jinn?  Have faith, riduur, that he will come to you.” Obi-Wan runs his fingers through his hair.

“Force, I miss you, Satine.  I miss you so much it hurts.”

“I know, cyar’ika.  I know.” He wishes it was a holo call, so he could see her face again…  “My offer still stands, you know,” she says softly. “With a word you’ll be the Duke of Mandalore.”

Obi-Wan swallows.  “You know I can’t do that.  It would be wrong for me to put you in that position of political scandal.  Besides, Anakin needs me.”

“I know.  I would be worried if you had said yes.  I fell in love with Obi-Wan Kenobi the Jedi.  It’s your lifeblood, and no one, Mando or not, deserves that taken.”  Her voice thickens. “Despite how pretty you are, my cyare.”

Obi-Wan lets out a chuckle.  “Anakin could never do this. Jate ca, cyare.”

“Jate ca, cyare.  Call me soon.”

{}{}{}

He didn’t  _ really _ mean to eavesdrop.  It’s just he needed the thing from the-

Ok.   _ Maybe _ he was curious who his Master was calling.  Maybe. He start’s listening mid- conversation.

_ “My offer still stands you know,”  _ a female voice says.  It sounds familiar. Another Senator, one of Padme's friends… Satine… Klanzy?   _ Kryze, _ that was it.  Satine Kryze.  _  “With a word you’ll be the Duke of Mandalore.” _  The demon inside him bristles.   _ Marriage.  She’s asking him to marry her.  And he preaches to me about ‘no attachment’- karking LIER- _

“You know I can’t do that.  It would be wrong for me to put you in that position of political scandal.  Besides, Anakin needs me.” his master replies. The demon roars and his hands shake in fury.   _ He doesn't TRUST you.  Still. After EVERYTHING. _  The rest of the conversation flutters over his head, and his hands clutch and unclutch as madness begins to take him.  The tuskens, his mother, the urge to  _ kill kill killkillkillKILLKILLKILL- _

Suddenly, a wave of calm washes over him, and he  _ breaths, _ his hands tightening around his master’s.  The only sign of worry visible on his master is the slight crinkle near his left eye.

“Breath with me, my Padawan.”

He breaths.  Slowly, the roaring flames die to flickering embers that are buried deep beneath the surface.  Always there, never quite gone, but at least his head is clear. Guilt floods him. “I’m sorry…”

His master shakes his head.  “Your thinking clearly now, that’s all that matters.  We need to be at our best for this mission.”

Anakin smiles softly.  “You say that for every mission, Master.”

His Master smiles softly back.  “That’s because it’s true, Padawan.  But… I have a bad feeling about this mission.”  Obi-Wan’s stare blankens for a moment. “The Force is… screaming.  There’s a seeping wound, and were heading right towards it. I fear Dooku has taken some experiment too far.”

“Experiment?” Anakin askes, bewildered.  His master chuckles.

“Yes, Dooku was never…  _ content _ with just philosophy.  It wouldn’t surprise me that without the Council looking over his shoulder he’s taken to Force experiments.  So Qui-Gon said anyway.” He’s Master’s eyes go distant and sad at Qui-Gon’s name.

“Tell me about Master Qui-Gon, Master,” Anakin pleads.  His Master’s eyes go soft, and  _ ohforcetellmetellmetellme- _

The proximity alarm blares though the ship, and the moment is lost.  Anakin trails behind his master, shoulders slumped.

{}{}{}

_ The Force  _ adores _ Obi-Wan Kenobi. _

_ The instant he came into this world he was her champion.  However a life of the champion is never easy, and she griefs for the pain it will cause him, the sadness.  And as that dreadful day on Mustafar draws ever closer, she changes things. Pulls a few strings from the fabric of another universe, and weaves them into his.  She knows it’s not supposed to be that way, but she’s desperate. And the instant she does, she knows it’s the right thing. _

_ Because the Chosen One is destined to fall. _

_ So she blesses another, and hopes they will stay in the light, and heal her broken champion. _

{}{}{}

The closer and closer the Jedi ship got to its destination, the more and more uneasy the Force felt to Obi-Wan Kenobi.  

“Master, I’m not going to pretend to understand the Unifying Force, because I don’t… but if you ever need me, I’m here.  And… I’m sorry about earlier.”

Obi-Wan blinks.  “Oh, earlier… that’s fine…”  He stares back at the viewport.

Anakin looks at him, bewildered.  “Where’s the lecture?” Despite the joking tone, bitterness runs beneath it.  Obi-Wan sighs.

“It was nothing I didn’t do when I was a Padawan.”  Before Anakin can process that, his Master continues.  “It’s awfully cold in here, Anakin.”

Anakin, still reeling from the abrupt change of subject, mutters a very intelligent sounding  _ huh? _

“It’s cold.” He says, enunciating each syllable as he shuffles deeper into his cloak.  “Turn the heat on.”

Anakin grins.  “Old man.”

“Shut up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MANDO'A DICTIONARY
> 
> In the Mando’a, words are not gender specific. Ex- while ‘vode’ is most often translated to ‘brother’, it simply means sibling, and can be used to express both ‘brother’ and ‘sister’.
> 
> ‘ika - suffix added to the end of a name, used to express fondness or kinship with someone
> 
> Riduur - spouse
> 
> Cyar’ika - darling, sweetheart
> 
> Jate ca, cyare - good night [my] love


	5. The Blue Marble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stress-induced writing has lead to the unheard of double chapter update. Nothing like a maniac waving a gun around at your parent's work to raise your blood pressure! (We're all ok, it was just scary.) **Pulls out laptop to write about the end of the world** ...What?

**Chapter 5: The Blue Marble**

The planet looked peaceful from space.  It was a wash of blue-green, and glittering white ice capped the poles.  A few of the continents had spralling deserts, and Anakin hoped there mission wouldn’t leave them there.  On the planet’s night side, lights glittered like stars from the inhabitants below. Two small moons orbit slowly around the planet, both greyish and rocky.  The planet also had dozens of unnatural satellites orbiting around it.

“Looks like primitive radio based communications, Master.  Pretty easy for the Seps to block.” Obi-Wan nodded absently, and lifted a finger.

“That one is particularly curious.  It looks like it was build for human habitation, though I sense no lifeforms aboard it.”

“Should we check it out?” Anakin asked dubiously.  “It just looks like a string of cans with some sticks poking out of it.”  Obi-Wan sighed.

“I think we out to get at least a little more information on this world before we land and attract Count Dooku’s attention.  Is the cloaking still holding up?”

“Yep.” Anakin says, and steers them towards the object.  As they get closer, they see writing scribbled on the windows.  It’s not in any language the recognizes and her glances to Obi-Wan, who shakes his head.  He doesn't know either.

_ HELP. _  There is a flimsiphoto of a human crew taped crudely to the window, all of them smiling and floating in the space station.   _ I’m sorry.  We’re all sorry.  The blip on the screen wasn’t a fluke.  Goodbye. _ Anakin realizes what the words are written in now- dried blood.  He swallows, and Obi-Wan looks faintly sick.

“We need to go in.”

“WHAT!” Anakin protests horsley.  “We can’t…”

“Why, exactly, can’t we Anakin.  They're sentiment just like us, and they deserve a proper burial.”  Obi-Wan robotically begins to enter the proper keystrokes. “And we can’t go in fighting Dooku blind, we need information-”

“I know. Just…”  Obi-Wan punches the final button and lets out a shuddering sigh, his face in his hands.

“It hurts.”

Anakin nodded shakely.  “Yeah. It reminds me of Tatooine.”  Anakin gazed down at the blue-green planet.  “Somehow.” They were jolted from their musings when the ship docked.  Obi-Wan rose slowly and clipped his lightsaber to his belt.

“Let’s go.”

{}{}{}

When the docking mechanism clicks, Anakin and Obi-Wan board the primitive space station.  It’s mostly grey and white inside, with splashes of reds and blues and greens on equipment here and there.  It looks oddly mismatched compared to the other stations they've been on, and the technology borders on barely space worthy.  Every once and a while they see a rectangular symbol with a blue square with white stars and red-white stripes.

“Master, I think I found the living quarters.” Anakin breaths, eyes wide.  When Obi-Wan follows Anakin in throw the station into the room, he can see why.  It’s surreal, having this little peek at life on this planet.

Primitive flimsiplast photos cover one wall.  Many of them are smiling people, families, Obi-Wan assumes, of the people up here.  There are some landscapes too, from choppy oceans to rainforests to endless deserts.  A little family of some species that resembles a loth-cat have a whole section to their own.  Next there are the bunks, each one with a slightly different atmosphere. One has a impressive collection of what looks to be flimsiplast books, a rarity in the Republic.  Another has a stack of drawings of stick people, looking that they were done by a youngling. One has a obnoctious poster somehow mounted to the wall, and even though he can’t read it, it radiates silly happiness into the force.  Obi-Wan touches it, lightly.

_ It’s the same room, but brighter.  Six humans, three male and three female, float in.  One of the women with bright red hair, punches a bald man in the arm. _

_ “The big four zero, eh, Greg?”  The women does a backflip, fiery red curls tumbling behind her.  She’s now standing upside down in the ceiling. The bald man snorts. _

_ “You better not have done anything ‘special’.”  The red haired woman grins. _

_ “What… you can’t be talking about your  _ last birthday _ … Sam, Valorie, Larry, Diana, bring it in!”  Greg groans as the others drag in a long rectangular box covered in wrapping paper.  Greg sighs, accepting his fate, and gently begins to open the package. A large poster is revealed, and it floats away, unrolling as it does so.  A large UFO with ‘I Want to Believe’ printed on the bottom is revealed. _

_ “You smuggled in an X-Files poster.  On the ISS. For my birthday. Do you know how many regulations-” _

_ “This is where you say ‘thank you’” the red haired woman snorts, and Greg smiles softly. _

_ “Thanks guys.”  A chorus of Happy Birthday is then sung, and celebratory freeze dried cake is brought out.  It’s terrible, but they eat it anyway. _

Obi-Wan smiles softly at the projection.  It’s not often he got to see good things in the force now.  He chuckles as he realizes Quinlan is going to be pissed when they get back.  Anakin stares at him.

“What?”

“Quinlan is going to kill me,” he says completely straight faced.

Anakin snorts.  “News to me, Master.”

{}{}{}

Her captor comes in today, once an hour on the hour, to inject her with something that makes her burn.  It’s like her very blood is on fire, and she swears it’s changing something deep inside her, something fundamental to her existence.  She screams for the first 3 hours, after that her voice is gone. He comes in a little early on the 7th hour, and watches her spasm with pain under the cuffs.  He pets one twitching hand. 

“It’s painful my dear, but the transformation will be over soon.”  She blinks at him with hazy eyes. / _ Make it stop, please…/ _

“Ah, strong already.  This is going better then I had hoped.”  He calls in a med droid.

“Droid, get in here!”

The droid wurrs in.  “How may I be of service, my lord?”  He waves a hand at the girl. 

“A blood test please.”  The droid trots over and takes a needle from a compartment in it’s torso.  The girl’s eyes widen, and she tries to shy away. A vile on the wall shatters.  The droid unfeelingly pricks her arm. It wurrs for a moment then-

“The patient has dangerously low vitamin D levels.  She is suffering from blood loss-”

He interrupts the droid.  “A midichlorian count.”

The droid sounds puzzled.  “The patients midichlorian count has jumped from 0 to over 20,000, my lord.  My scales go no higher.”

“Does she have the same amount from the samples I gave you earlier?”

“Possibly, my lord.  The blood sample filed under ‘Anakin Skywalker’ also has a count of over 20,000.”  Dooku smiles. 

“Good.  Prep her to be transported to Room C282.”

“Yes my lord.”

{}{}{}

Anakin and Obi-Wan begin maneuvering their way back to where their ship is docked after looking at the living quarters.  That’s when they come across the first body. It’s torso riddled with blaster shots, and blood is still floating around the body in spheres due to the lack of gravity indusing technology on the ship.  The lack of gravity had caused Obi-Wan to be bordering on nauseous for the last hour, and when he saw the body he’s stomach, his heart, and the Force all lurched in unison.

It was quite unpleasant.  Anakin, whose mouth was set in a grim line, turned to see his master had turned pale and fantily green.  Obi-Wan’s eyes where screwed shut. Anakin put a hand on his arm.

“Hey, you good?”

“Burning… make… stop…” Obi-Wan ground out through clenched teeth. Anakin’s alarm rose.

“Ok, were getting out of here.  Come on.” Anakin put one arm around to older man and began to lead them to the ship.  Where he ran into a small problem. The moment they started moving, Obi-Wan vomited all over Anakin.  Normally (it had unfortunately happened before) this wouldn’t be  _ that _ much of a problem.  Except, well... they’re in a primitive space station with no gravity.  Which meant a huge mess.

“Damn it, Obi-Wan.” Anakin muttered.  “Why do we always get into these messes.”  Anakin vainly tried to swat a floating glob of vomit away.

Once the Jedi had seem to empty his stomach from what seemed like a year’s worth of food, Anakin all but dragged (floated?) him back to the ship.  When they hit their ship’s gravity, some of the vomit they managed to drag in with them splattered down like rain. “Gross,” Anakin muttered, and then crouched next to Obi-Wan, who had immediately dropped to the floor once the gravity returned.  “Hey, what’s wrong?”

_ /Notmineminetakefrommechangeburnburnburnburn-/ _  Anakin recoiled from the panicked mental onslot.  “Ok, we landing on that planet  _ right now.  I am  _ not _ losing you!” _  He touched a hand to his master’s cheek.  It felt feverish. “I have to go pilot, ok?  I’ll be right back.” Feverish sea green eyes opened.

“No crashing… please…”   _ Wow, I didn’t think he could hear me. _

“I’ll try.”

“No… try… do...” Obi-Wan dropped into unconsciousness.


	6. Zeus's Tears (The Arrival)

**Chapter 6: Zeus’s Tears (The Arrival)**

The sky was a dark grey today, and a salty breeze was blowing up from the ocean nearby.  The old man looked from the sky to his companion.

“Used to live in the largest resort city in the world, we did.”

The younger man looked up to his grandfather.  “Really?”

“Aye, of course not boy!  The surveyors didn’t deduct the year ‘round residents.”

“Oh.”

The old man sighs.  “I’m too old to go through another war, son.  ‘Nam was enough for me. Keep your mother safe, yes?”

His grandson nodded.  “I promise.” The old man nods.

“Good.  Now how about you finish reading to me that book you and your cousins enjoyed so much.  Barry Otter or somthin’”

He’s grandson smiled.  “‘Harry Potter’, Grandpa?”

“Aye.”  His grandson picks up a battered copy of  _ The Sorcerers Stone _ and ruffles though it.

“Chapter 10: Halloween.  Alright…  _ Malfoy couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw that Harry and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful-” _

_ Hhhhhhrrrrroooooommmmm…. CRASH! _

“Boy, that better not have been that filthy dog again!”  The grandson sprang from his chair on the porch to look at the smoking hunk of metal before them about a half mile down the beach.  He grabbed his grandfather’s rifle.

“Go in the house, grampa, and hide Mom and the kids.  I’ll check and see if any of the robots survived the crash.”  The grandfather clasps a hand to his grandson’s shoulder.

“26 is too young to die son.  I made it out of ‘Nam, you  _ need _ to make it out of this war.  Understand?” The grandson swallows back tears.

“Yes sir.”

“Good.”  With a final pat on his shoulder the grandfather limped into the house a bolted the door behind him.  The grandson threw the gun over his shoulder and sprinted towards the crash. He skidded to a halt on the damp sand about 50 feet away and began a slowly circle the wreck.

Something moved.  The grandson planted his feet and cocked the old rifle.

It moved again, and a figure emerged.  But not the boney, tan, silhouette of a robot, no… this was…  _ a man?! _

“Hands where I can see them, brother!” the grandson shouts over the wind.  The man has a dark, long full cloak that looks like it should be in the set of  _ The Hobbit _ then here.  He turns, slowly, to face the grandson.  A bizarre collection of sounds and syllables come from his throat, a language more foreign sounding than even the guttural tones of the Middle East to the grandson’s ears. There’s-  _ is that vomit?-  _ on his dark robes, and something silver glints in his belt.  The man slowly takes the silver glint- it’s a cylinder- and places it on the ground in front of him.  He raises his hands in a gesture of surrender.

_ “Hey, look, I’m not here to hurt anyone, ok?  Just my friend is really sick, and he needs some help.  Like a lot of help. Soon.” _

The grandson slowly lowers his own weapon.  The scarred man keeps talking in that strange tongue.

_ “Alright, that’s good, no shooting right?  Great. Now I really  _ really _ need to get my friend out of this wreck, ok?  So please, please don’t panic and shoot me, alright?” _

A piece of the ship begins to ever so gently detach and floats down to the ground.  The grandson does a double take, and the weapon comes springing back up. “What the legitimate fuck!  That’s impossible!  _ WHAT THE HELL?!  Who ARE you?” _

The scarred man backs away slowly. _  “Ok, no Force, that’s alright…” _  The scarred man looks panicked now.   _ “But my friend really needs help  _ NOW _ so…” _  The scarred man springs like a tiger back on the wreck.  The sudden movement startles the grandson, and he fires a shot on reflex.

{}{}{}

Anakin ducks into the hatchway of the smoking ship, just missing the shot.  “ _ Damn it!” _  He hurries to where Obi-Wan still lays slumped on the floor.  

“You… crashed…” mumbled Obi-Wan.  “Told you… no… crashing…”

“Sorry,” and for once, he really is.  “I have to move you now, this might hurt, ok Obi-Wan?”   _ Better do this fast. _  He swings Obi-Wan into his arms-

-and promptly gets vomited on again.   _ /Hurt/ _

“Yeah, sorry about that, Obi-Wan.”  He steps out of the ship and hopes to Force that the native decides not to shoot at him again.

_ /No, burn… Still burning, tearing.../ _  He feels a little flare of the pain Obi-Wan’s talking about through their bond, and he almost vomits too.

“Alright, that’s bad.  I’m just gonna set you down, yeah?  It’s sand, a beach. You like beaches yeah?”   _ I’ve got to keep him talking, got to keep him awake. _

“You… don’t…”  Anakin forces a laugh.  The native is gone, hopefully to get some medical help.

“Yeah.  Can you tell me what’s hurting you?”  He can feel the native human returning with another though the Force.

“Force… stealing…”   _ Well that’s not alarming at all. _  The native has returned with a human female little more than a girl, and Anakin scowls.

“You better no what your doing,” he mutters darkly, and the girl shoots him a dirty look and snips something back at him.  Despite the language barrier, the message is received, and Anakin frowns. The girl tied up her hair as the man from earlier- a few years older than Anakin pulls off his jacket, bundling it up.  They both go the close the few foot gap between them and Obi-Wan and Anakin reflexively snarls. Obi-Wan’s eyes flicker open.   
  


“Let them, Anakin… please…” his head lolls to one side and his eyes close again.  Anakin reluctantly leans back on his heels. The girl snorts and shakes her head, pushing the bundled jacket under Obi-Wan’s head.  As she gently props Obi-Wan’s face and throat with the impersonal touch of a Temple healer, he relaxes.  _ Check pulse, make sure airway is clear, look for signs of concussion... _  His hands tremble, and he feels a flicker of shame.  He should be able to do this himself.

He feels a touch on his shoulder, and the girl gestures to the simple stretcher lying on the sand.  He reflexively reaches for the force to steady his hands, but he can’t properly grasp it. He’s whole body shakes.  The girl briefly converses with her companion, and then the man gently transfers Obi-Wan to the stretcher himself. The girl gestures from him to the end of the stretcher.   _ Right, little human girl can’t carry that. _  He summons his saber and clips it to his belt, and takes one end of the stretcher, letting the girl guide them along.

{}{}{}

Their walking along the abandoned main drag through the city.  Ella looked up at the grandson.

“Didn’t catch your name.”

The grandson shakes his head.  “Doesn't matter. I'll have to return to the beachouse once I drop this guy off for you.”

“Will you stay for a drink?  It’s the least we can give you for the help.”

The grandson shakes his head.  “No thanks.” Thunder rumbles above their heads, and the sky darkens.  “Better hurry. We don’t want to get caught in the storm.”

“We still have another mile and a half,” Ella says, voice tinged with fear.  A fat grey drop lands on the grandson’s nose.

“Fuck it.   _ Run!” _  The other robed man was quick to catch on, just as the rain started pelting down.

Rain now wasn’t clear and purifying.  When it rained, it turned your skin and cloths grey.  It stung at your eyes and caused severe infection in open wounds.  In some people, the touch of rainwater on bare skin caused iching, burning rashes.

The man on the stretcher screams and thrashes, screaming one word-  _ a name _ Ella thinks.  The robed man supporting the bottom half of the stretcher instantly halts, and the grandson whips his head around as lightning lights up the sky.  The face illuminated is all harsh lines and angles, the face of a man in war. The robed man’s face looks boyish in comparison.

“ _ No, _ ” the grandson snarls.  “Do you hear me? We pause for nothing.  Not for your friend, not for anyone.  _ Move. _ ”  Thunder booms and the three begin to sprint, grey muddied water splashing all around them.

{}{}{}

_ It’s dark, and pain flickers around the edge of his awareness like flames.  He can feel Anakin’s panic and worry, and he wants to go back- but the Force prodds him on, farther into the darkness.  He can sense a presence, and it’s flickering, though not as if it’s dying but as if it’s catching alight. But there’s some darkness surrounding it, corrupting his senses whenever he tries to reach for it.  He hears it- no a her- crying for help. _

_ /Mom! MOM! God, somebody help me! PLEASE! MOM! Anyone! Please… anyone…help me…/  He reaches, and when their presences touch, it burns like fire. _

{}{}{}

Anakin gasps as the metal door of the building slams shut behind them.  Immediately he’s crouching over Obi-Wan, water logged hair streaming more greyish fluid onto them both.  Obi-Wan’s eyes flew open and gags, wet, hacking coughs shaking his form. Anakin gently sits him up.

“Alright, easy does it old man.”  Obi-Wan glares at him.

“I’m not old,” he rasps.  He props himself up on one arm, the other hand rubbing his eyes.  “How long was I out?”

“An hour or two.  We’re… somewhere…” Anakin shrugs.  “Not really sure.”

Obi-Wan sighs, looking at the tiled floor and bare walls.  Wooden doors lined either side. They appeared to be at the end of some sort of hallway. “I assume you found someone on this planet then.  Where are they?”

“Umm…”

“You don’t know?” Obi-Wan exlaimes, slightly exasperated.  Their banter was interrupted by approaching footsteps. Obi-Wan, still to weak to stand, hauls his aching joints into a sloppy replication of a meditative stance.  He slides just under into the currents of the Force- enough to be aware of the real world, but simply see it through a different lense. “All ways be aware of your surroundings, my Padawan,” he murmurs, he voice with a dreamlike quality to it.  “Now let’s see our new friends.”

The man and girl from earlier approach, along with another pair of the same.  The new man greets him in his native tongue. Obi-Wan opened his eyes, tilted his head, and respond in likeness.

_ /Thank Force!  You know what their speaking master?/ _

_ /A recent acquisition, I don’t know much, but yes./ _

His master spoke in diplomatic tones to the four, and he gives a mental narration of the conversation to his Padawan.

_ /Ah… so the red haired man you met earlier is… Brad Stanson- the blond girl is Ella.  As for the new arrivals, the man is Dave O’Heir and the girl is Jade. They’ve taken us to an old school- it’s their base of operations for now… It’s been about 9 months on this planet- I’m not sure how that converts to standard galactic months- since Dooku invaded.  Apparently the Separatists tearing things up and exploding things has wrecked the climent and weather. About 3 months in the governmental system fell apart, and world wide communication was down by month 2 of the invasion. Gangs have taken over the streets, and food and water is traded for sex and servitude.  They're running out of food and medical supplies here, and their water supply is almost non existent. Did any of the relief supplies we brought survive the crash?/ _

_ /I don’t know, Master.  I didn’t really get a good look at the damage./ _  The unspoken disappointment flowed through the bond.  Anakin bowed his head. “Sorry, Master.” Obi-Wan heaved a sigh.

“You musn't let your emotions rule you, Anakin.”  He stands on shaking feet. “Come, they’ve got a place for us to sleep before we plan further.”


	7. Fractures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but pretty heavy chapter. We're nearing the end of Part 1!

**Chapter 7: Fractures**

Obi-Wan wakes up to birds twittering outside, and he sits up with a groan.  Though he’s certiny slept on worse, one thin blanket on hard tiled floor has done his back no favors.  He lets his eyes wander the room they were in, taking it in with the morning sun. It was a fair sized room, but battered, the walls’ white paint chipping away, revealing grainy tan bricks underneath.  There were wooden desks stacked along one wall, and fading maps and posters hung sporadically around the room, written in a tongue he couldn’t read. The wall opposite the door is lined with a row of windows, and he treads softly to them, floor gritty with dirt beneath his boots.  The windows are stained with a greyish residue from last nights rain, and he coaxes one open to reveal a lightly forested area, still buzzing with insects despite the drastic changes to their home. Anakin grumbles sleeply, something about turning the lights off, and Obi-Wan smiles softly, shutting the window with a soft click so grey dimness fill the room again.  He sends his thoughts though their bond, and is met with a sleepy  _ /whatever/ _ before Anakin starts to snore again.

He treads softly into the hall, and though open doorways the local populace watches him with weary eyes.  A too familiar sight, the gant faces and pain filled gazes to Obi-Wan Kenobi. A tiny blond haired boy sits in a shadowed doorway, and  _ force _ his grey eyes held the same pain that Anakin’s held when he and his master found him on Tatooine.

“Hello, young one.  Do you know what’s happened here?”  His freshly healed legs twitches, and he grits his teeth as he slides down to the floor beside the child.  The child twirls a necklace with a pendant on it between his fingers, the dull metallic shine twinkling.

“Mom told me to run,” he says in a dazed voice.  “Said to pretend it’s a movie. Wait till someone rescues us.”  The boy squints up at Obi-Wan. “Are you here to rescue us?”

_ Are you here to free the slaves, Master Qui-Gon sir? _

Bile rises in his throat.  “We’re here to capture Count Dooku, the man who has invaded your world.”

The boy’s brow crumples, scrunched up in thought.  “What about after you capture the bad man? Will you help me get my mother back?”

_ Your not here to free the slaves? _

“We will try to provide as much aid as we can to your planet, young one, but our mission is to apprehend Dooku.”   _ There is no emotion, there is peace.  There is no emotion, there is peace… Get a grip, Kenobi!  Stay in the present! _

The boy’s eyes go wide.  “You’ll help me find mom, though, right?”

“I will do my duty.”  Comprehension fills the boy’s eyes, and he begins to sob.  Obi-Wan Kenobi stands, and walks away.

{}{}{}

“We can’t save  _ an entire planet, _ Anakin!”  His padawan stares at him, glowering.

_ “Were Jedi, Master!  We can-” _

“We  _ cannot _ save an entire planet.  Do you know what that world entail?  Evacuating, clothing, feeding, sheltering  _ billions of people _ .  Taking an entire population who hasn’t gone  _ beyond their own moon _ into hyperspace, to the Galactic Center!  An entire  _ fleet _ of ships would be needed, with another billion hands at least to take care of these people in transit.  Not to mention the political scandal it will cause-”

“ _ Padme can take care of it!” _

“Padme Amidala is an extraordinary woman, but even this would be beyond her capacities.  We are Jedi, Anakin, not miracle workers.”

Anakin snarls, and begins to pace, fist clenched.  “I  _ am the Chosen One!  I will save them- _ ”

“You are the  _ Chosen One, _ Anakin, not all powerful.  And you are my  _ Padawan, _ young one.  It is your duty to follow my lead.  Now  _ stand down. _ ”

“ _ I hate you!” _  Anakin storms out of the room, door slamming shut behind him.

Obi-Wan sighed, running fingers through his hair.  “I know.” He finds himself walking down the hall again, and this time he can feel condemning glares follow him.  His steps faltered as he passes the boy, a dark skinned woman with a headscarf holds him.

“Basterd,” she hisses at him, and he can’t find the strength to dissuade the condemnation. 

He makes it to the end of the hall and pushes the door open into the sunlight and he sits on the steps, and opens himself to the force.

Petals scatter in the breeze, but Obi-Wan Kenobi doesn't notice.  The grey can sits and stares at the red haired man, with far too much intelligence.  The spirit thanks the feline guide, and it nods once. Though Obi-Wan can’t feel it, Qui-Gon Jinn sits beside him.  The grey cat may finally rest in peace, sightless eyes staring up at the sky.

It’s the last peaceful death on Earth.

{}{}{}

When Martha wakes she’s in a cold dark cell.  Greyish light filters in from somewhere, enough to see she can count her ribs through her thin gown.  It’s not what she was dressed in when she was last conscious, and she shivers, imagining some unknown stranger touching her.  Despite the lack of light and sound, it still feels like sensory overload- the too soft weave of the gown she wears, the walls so smooth when you run your hand across them you wonder if your feeling anything, the way her joints crack painfully at the slightest movement.  She curls up in a corner, trying to shut it all out. Distinctly, she hears someone yelling, and terror makes her muscles seize up. Suddenly, a memory comes to the forefront of her mind- when she burned and  _ somehow _ escaped.

She closes her eyes, not quite knowing what to do, but let her instincts guide her.  Utter blankness, shut the world out. She could do that, yes. She pretended to walk though her mind, imagining white corridors and marble columns.  She wasn’t sure when, but at some point she could feel the cold marble beneath her bare feet, and the echoing of her own footsteps.

Suddenly the corridor ended, and she faced a blank wall.  She stared up at the barrier in despair. Footstep approached, and as she tried to turn to see the figure, something stopped her.  

“You’re from before.”  she spoke aloud, and despite not seeing the being behind her, she knew they nodded.  “You got me out.”

Another nod.

Martha ran her fingers along the wall.  “How?”

_ /You will need to find that path yourself, this time.  I’m sorry./ _ She felt the regret from the being behind her.  She felt the presence begin to fade-

“Wait!” she cried, desperate.  “Don’t leave, please.” Closing her eyes, she turned around and grasped desperately.  When her fingertips brushed cloth, she held on. “Please,” she sobbed. “It’s so lonely.”  Martha slid to her knees, and grappled blindly at the leg of her only hope. She feels a hand on her chin.

“I’m so sorry.”  And then she’s grasping nothing but air, and Martha Dales sinks to the ground and sobs.


	8. Burials and Bounties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The author has officially relinquished any sort of control she had on this story and is now just hanging on for the ride.

**Chapter 8 Burials and Bounties**

Count Dooku is furious.  His underlings squirmed away in fear of their master as he stalked the corridors.  He turned to one quivering human.

“You said there would be no ill effects,” Dooku snarled.  The doctor flinched.

“Th-here is a-always so-ome element of r-risk, m-my lord.  It is p-possible her c-condition was pr-preexisting…”

Dooku closed a fist, and the doctor’s body fell to the floor with a  _ thud _ .  The young twi’lik apprentice the doctor paled as Dooku turned to her.

“I expect no more failures, Doctor.”

“Of c-course, my l-lord.”

The officers scattered from the room with as much dignity as they had (which was very little in Dooku’s eyes) and he stood at the head of the circular table, thinking.  He touches a hidden control panel, and the fuzzy blue glow of a hologram flickers on, revealing a Rodian alien.

“I need to speak with Rubic Fallon.”

The green alien replied with clicks and whistles and he disappeared from the holo’s view.  He returned, bowing, with a Mandalorian dressed in mahogany armor.

“Ah, Count Dooku.”  He put his booted feet up with a  _ clunk _ , and took a swig from a bottle.  “What can I do for you?”

Dooku scowls.  “This is not a social call, Fallon-”

“-Every call is a social with you, Dooku.”

Dooku glowered.  “I am in need of your services.”

“Hmm… do continue,” Fallon said, a smug smile on his face.

“Due to… circumstances, I am unable to leave my post.  I need Kenobi and Skywalker at my feet.”

Fallon took another swig.  “Alright, Count. What’s the catch?”

Dooku’s brown eyes flickered gold, and Fallon actually went to loosen his collar.  “Fine, fine, no catch! Just send me the coordinates.”

Dooku typed them in, and Fallon’s eyes went wide.  

“Woah, there.  Wild Space? Triple the usual rate, at least.”

Dooku kept his face blank.  “Done.”

Fallon looked giddy.  “Really, ‘done’? I don’t know what’s gotten to your head, Count, but-”

“I want Skywalker and Kenobi.   _ Alive. _ ”  Dooku turned abruptly, cutting the connection.

{}{}{}

When Obi-Wan Kenobi opened his eyes- more at peace then he had been in a long while, he was met with a faceful of knife and freckled fury.  He blinked.  _ Dear Force, what have I done? _

She was older, mid forties, with dark, tanned skin and caramel eyes.  “Up.”

He gingerly rose.  He felt the tip of the knife center on his back.  

“Walk.”

When he’s lead though the halls again, their deserted.  He gave the mental impression of clearing one’s throat.  _ /Anakin?/ _

_ /What?/  He sound’s cross with me, but I suppose that’s to be expected... _

_ /Ah… I may have run into a spot of trouble with the locals./ _  He’s jabbed sharply in the ribs and gingerly turns left into another smaller hall.

He’s flashed the equivalent of a smug smile across their bond.  Obi-Wan continues.

_ /Yes, well-/ _  He gets interrupted by another jab in the ribs.  “You can just tell me when to turn, you know.”

The woman gives him a fiery glare.  “Shut it.” He’s pushed roughly through a doorway.

He’s met with a large room, filled to the brim with people.  Anakin waves from where he’s sitting off to the side, and Obi-Wan hesitantly takes a step towards him.  The woman looks unhappy, but slides the knife back onto her belt.

He’s at Anakin’s side faster then he would care to admit.

“Do we know what’s going on?”

Anakin shakes his head.  “Not a clue.” There’s a large ‘stage’ in the front of the room, and the crowd parts to let a small group onstage.  Obi-Wan recognizes Ella, Jade, Dave and Brad in the group.

Dave stands apart from the rest, and the room quiets.

_ /Anakin, I’ll give you a translation as they speak.  Just do try and listen./ _

Annoyance floods the bond.  _ /I do try, Master./ _

Just as Obi-Wan’s about to remind Anakin of Master Yoda’s ‘trying’ policy, Dave clears his throat.

“As you are all aware, this is the 19th time we have gathered since this new Great War began.  I- um-” Dave’s voice cracks, and he looks away to gather himself for a moment. “Can we begin with the Pledge of Allegiance?”  Simotatouly, the crowd turns to the tattered blue, white and red shards on the wall. They speak as one.

_ “I pledge allegiance to a united world, a new dawn for all.  And to a new republic, for which it stands, one world, under God, indivisible, for liberty and justice for all!” _

Dave bows his head.  “A moment of silence.”  The crowd bowed their heads.

_ /Force Master…/ _

_ /I know, Anakin.  I know./ _

Dave clears his throat again, voice faltering.  “Casualty lists for the past month. Linze Hare, 38.”

_ “May her soul rest in peace.” _ the crowd chants back.

“Darry Smalls, 14.”

_ “May his soul rest in peace.” _

“Suzie Brown, 12 days.”  A woman in the crowd begins to weep.

_ “May her soul rest in peace.” _

Dave turns away.  “Martha Dales, 16 years of age.”

_ “May her soul rest in peace.” _

The grief in the room quaked the force, sending Obi-Wan to his knees and Anakin leaning against the wall heavily.

Dave looked back.  “She uh- Martha was planning on singing  _ Hallelujah  _ today, and um-”  He put his face in his hands, and Ella grasped his shoulder.  “Sorry, just- could we sing it for her?”

Jade began to sing, looking as haunting as ever, but this time the black leather she wore seemed softer, more supple.  Her loud baritone carried the haunting melody though the room.

_ “I heard there was a secret chord, that David played, and it pleased the Lord, but you don't really care for music, do you?  Well it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift, the baffled king composing, Hallelujah!” _

The audience joined in at the refrain, and suddenly all Obi-Wan could see was Melida/Daan.   _ Force, I have to help them, I have to. _  Anakin was crotched beside him, consurned.

“Hey old man, you good?”

“I… force… you were right, Anakin.  I can’t leave these people.”

Anakin nodded, slowly.  “Well… think we can manage 50 people on our ship?”

“We’ll have to.”

The meeting was dispersing now, and as Anakin when to mingle with the locals, Obi-Wan watched.

He always watched.


	9. Mind and Matters

**Chapter 9: Mind and Matters**

She stays in the white marble of her mind long after her tears have dried, watching the mist flow between the columns.  Her fingernails tap against the floor, and they echo through the space.

She’s never felt so alone in her life.

Not that she had ever been a social person at all, really, but she always had this feeling of companionship with  _ something. _  Humanity, she supposes.  She’s not sure why, but she feels she’s quite far from her fellow Earthlings, and it unsettles her.  It’s ridiculous, she’s probably cracking under the isolation. This whole place is ridiculous actually- the concept of  _ being in one’s mind _ .  It’s impossible.

“Have I gone mad?” she says aloud, but nothing in the white void answers back, and she shakes off disappointment.  Had she  _ really _ expected someone else here?

_ But there  _ was _ someone here, _ a part of her whispers, and she sighs.  “Ridiculous, utterly foolish.” She stands, back aching from her slouching, and suddenly a lightbulb goes off in her head.  She frowns, thinking.  _ Better start off small… _

“A butterfly.  A Monarch butterfly.”  She closes her eyes and imagines it, the image crystal clear in her head.  It’s delicate spotted body, it’s paper thin wings. How it dies after it’s young are born.  How the eggs are sheltered from the rain by milkweed leaves, yet the sun can still warm them.  How the little wriggling green things they hatch into are small and delicate. How a bird’s eyes skim past them on her daily hunt. How they spin a hanging home, waiting for the time-

Suddenly, it’s like a bucket of cold water is poured over her, and she gasps for breath, eyes flying open to reveal the greyish darkness of the cell and a form leaning over her.

“Oh, thank the gods- your alive.”  Pale green fingers gently run down her face, and a face that could almost be human looking down on her.  “Can you tell me your name?”

Her brain, witch had temporarily frozen in shock at the alien, when into overdrive.

She landed a solid punch in the alien’s nose, and the alien reeled back in shock as she ripped the tubing from her arms.  She felt a set of cold, metal hands hold her down to the bed-  _ that’s new- _ and she sent another punch flying to her left, and she groaned as she hit solid metal.  An impersonal robotic face out of a nightmare stared down at her, and she swore.

-She didn’t even see the needle coming to her right thigh.  The world went fuzzy. The last thing she heard was a soft ‘ _ I’m sorry’. _

Or maybe she didn’t hear it.  She was too far gone to tell.

{}{}{}

Anakin hung back with Obi-Wan as the room began to empty.  He decides to bite the bullet.

“So what changed your mind?”

Obi-Wan sighs.  “Regret. Past decisions.”  The four natives- Terrans, he supposes- approach.  “That was a lovely song.”

Jade simply nodded.  Dave spoke. “I believe we have some things to discuss.”

{}{}{}

The meeting room was another old classroom, and they all sat around a circular table.

“We have enough room on our ship to take the entirety of the people who live here.  It won’t be luxurious, but we can all fit. Once we make it back to the Inner Core I’m sure the Republic will send aid to your planet.” Obi-Wan explained.

“Our planet… it’s so strange that there’s a whole galaxy out there.”  Ella pondered.

“If this we any other time, you know, the two of you would be dead by now.” Brad said grimly.  “But desperate times call for desperate measures as they say. And you-” He looked at Dave. “I thought you didn’t believe in life beyond Earth!”

Dave shrugged.  “Times can change.”  Brad huffed and turned back to the other worlders.

“So how do we know your not lying?”  Brad accused. Ella looked scandalized.

“Brad-”

“Oh  _ come on now _ , shurly  _ all _ of you can’t be falling for this!  Here’s what I say- first, let's have them explain their apparent positions in this ‘Intergalactic Republic’.  Two- I want us all to see the fucking space ship upclose for ourselves.”

Obi-Wan nodded.  “Done. We’re are Jedi- intergalactic guardians of peace a justice-”

“That’s crap!” Brad exclaimed.  Dave and Jade glanced to each other once and nodded. Ella sighed.

_ “Hey, alright, let’s get to the exciting part- we can use the Force!” _ Anakin interjected, and was looking around like that was the perfect explanation.  Obi-Wan inwardly groaned.

_ /Not Basic Anakin.../ _

_ /Crap.  Your going to have to teach me./ _

“The Force,” Obi-Wan begin again, “is an energy field that surrounds all living things and binds the galaxy together.  Certain beings who as sensitive to the force can use it to manipulate its surroundings.  _ Yes _ Anakin, you can demonstrate, try not to do anything-”

The table and chairs with their occupants went flying up to the ceiling.  Obi-Wan turned a pale shade of green and muttered under his breath. Ella screamed and Brad made a rather high pitched noise of surprise.  Dave couldn’t stop looking at the floor and back to them in shock. The only one seemingly unfazed was Jade, who looked mildly annoyed and had gotten out a small knife and began to trim her nails.

“It’s  _ fucking Mary Poppins _ .  Get over it.” Jade growled, and her companions looked at her with varying degrees of shock and incredulousness.  “What?” she muttered crossly.

“The ‘We Love to Laugh’ song didn’t have a floating table.” Ella said, exasperated.

Jade snorted.  “It  _ totally _ did.”

“Did not.”

“Did.”

“Did not.”

Dave touched their shoulders.  “Girls, girls, please. Though, I do believe it did not have a table,” he said, eyes twinkling.  Jade huffed.

“Idiots, it most definitely did- I go get Martha and she can settle this-” she stopped short, and addressed Obi-Wan.  “Can you tell your fucking friend to let me down, or I’ll storm off in thin air and it won’t be pretty.” As Anakin gingerly let everything back down to the ground and the moment the chair legs touched the floor, Jade stormed off, the door slamming behind her.  Her friends rose. 

“We’ll head to the ship tomorrow.”  Dave grunted, and then they followed Jade out.


	10. Shatterpoints

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The author has scared herself to death with the characterization of Dooku. Also, Jinn isn't a jerk. And apparently, Windu had a major role now. 'cuse me while I go contemplate what life has come to.

**Chapter 10: Shatterpoints**

Dooku strode up to the newly promoted doctor, dark cloak billowing behind him.  The twi’lik swallowed nervously.

“The patient has extensive weakness in her bones and muscles.  I expect a portion of it was preexisting, but it’s greatly increased due to lack of food and proper medical care.  Her immune system is severely weakened, again probably preexisting but it’s dramatically worsened over the last six months or so.”  As the twi’lik spoke, her voice gradually gained confidence- this was clearly her field of expertise.

That was good.  Dooku was fed up with being surrounded by bumbling stuttering idiots.  “Have the midichlorians improved her condition?”

The twi’lik frowned.  “I don’t know, my lord.  Such a thing has never been done.  At the very least she is no longer suffering from blood loss.”

Dooku nodded, pleased with her honesty.  “And her mental state?”

“Unstable at best, my lord.  She remained unresponsive for the entirety of the physical examination- over an hour including the various tests.  I’m not entirely sure what caused her to come back to the real world- but she reacted badly- she tore out all the tubing and almost broke my nose.  I had to sedate her.”

_ Ah, full of anger already.  Good. _   “Thank you, doctor.  You are dismissed.”

“My lord.”  The twi’lik bowed and left, and Dooku opened the cell door.

It was a pitiful sight really.  The girl squinted against the light from the medical bed which she was bound, eyes hazy and unfocused.  Her force presence, however, rang clear as a bell throughout the room, almost identical to his grandpadawan’s.  Turning her might satisfy the yearning he had for his grandpadawan to stand by his side.

He lit his saber, and her eyes widened- though not in fear- in sheer curiosity.  In many ways, the girl was still an innocent child, and the part of Dooku that he thought was long since silenced cried out in protest.  He snarled, locking it away and vowing for it’s Jedi ideals to never cloud his judgment again. The room filled with darkness, and the girl gasped, drowning.

Oh, this was deliciously similar to his grandpadawan.  Someone so inherently grounded in the light cowering in the presence of the dark.

Dooku felt nothing but a cold, rotten, warped form of joy as he slid his saber down the girl’s face.  

Nether the girl nor the Sith noticed the tiny chrysalis hanging from the ceiling in the corner of the room.

{}{}{}

She was back in her mindscape, the blank marble nothingness around her, not warm or cold.  Just simply  _ there _ .

Her whole body trembled and shook and she curled up at the base of a column, rocking.

_ /I’m so sorry, child, for what my Master has done to you./ _   The blueish form of a man knelt beside her, in Tolken-esqe robes.  His face was lion like, and his long hair was tied up in a tail behind his head.

She ran a hand down her face, smooth and undamaged in the mental image of herself.  “He can’t hurt me here.”

The ghost- she supposed it was a ghost, the man was completely see through- looked sorrowful.   _ /You cannot stay here, your burning though your reserves to fast.  You must return to the physical world, and build strength./ _

“Going back would mean facing  _ him _ .”  There would be pain too, yes, but she long accepted pain in her physical body.  She was afraid of what emotional and mental torment her captor could-  _ would _ employ.

_ /Yes.  He wants to turn you to his side, for you to become his apprentice.  He is ruled by darkness, but there is still light in my Master, I have seen it./ _

She grimaced.  “What are you, some kind of slave?”

The ghost smiled sadly.   _ /No, it’s a title.  I was his student, and he was my teacher./ _

She stared at her hands.  “So why should I listen to you,” her voice soft.  “How do I know your not just like him?”

_ /You don’t./ _ the ghost said bluntly.

Martha nodded, a small smile on her face.   _ Not many people would admit to that instead of fumbling for reasons.   _ “Martha Dales.”

The ghost smiled back.   _ /Qui-Gon Jinn./ _

Martha cocked her head thoughtfully.  “Your not the one who was here before, who found me.”

Qui-Gon nodded.   _ /Your right.  That would be my own student, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  You both share a unique connection, due to the ah-  _ actions _ shall we say, my old Master has taken./ _   Qui-Gon looked regretful.   _ /The path you now walk is long and hard, child.  I’m sorry. What I can tell you is this- the Force has brought you and your companions here for a reason.  Trust in the force./ _

{}{}{}

On Coruscant, Mace Windu shifted ever so slightly in his seat.  The holo of the Chancellor flickered out, and Mace pinched the bridge of his nose.

“We can’t keep this under wraps for much longer, Master,” he said, addressing Yoda, who sat beside him.  “He  _ is _ eventually going to start wondering where Skywalker is.”

Yoda hummed thoughtfully.  “Concerned, you are not solely about the Chancellor, you are Master Windu.  More to say have you?”  

Mace rose, his boots echoing in the empty Council Chamber.  “I wish to take another apprentice, Master. The force is- quite insistent.”  

Yoda hummed again.  “An interesting proposal, this is.  Wise is it, to take on a youngling in a budding war?  Hmm?”

Mace snorted.  “Kenobi has Skywalker.  Skywalker should count as at least ten younglings.”

“Knighted soon, Skywalker shall be.”  Yoda looked thoughtful. “But allow it, I will.  When the time is right, a Padawan you may have, Master Windu.”  Mace allowed himself a small smile.

“Thank you, Master.  But there’s more.”

Yoda’s ears perked up.

“The shatterpoints have been shifting.  I’m not sure if it’s for better or for worse yet, but something  _ is  _ changing.”

Yoda nodded.  “Always in motion is the future.”  Yoda stood. “Come, Master Windu. Meditate we shall until Master Kenobi and Skywalker comm.  Much to tell us, I sense they will have.”

{}{}{}

The wet sand crunched under Anakin’s feet and  _ kriff, _ wet sand might be worse than dry sand.  He approached the wreckage of the  _ Diplomat _ , frowning.  Prying open one of the ship’s back panels, he looked thoughtfully at the hyperdrive.  He turned to Obi-Wan.

“We need a new hyperdrive.”  His master groaned. “ _ But… _ ” he said, tapping the offending piece of machinery fondly, “I think I’ve found a work around.”  Anakin knelt and began fiddling with the inner workings of the ship. “It looks like only the hyperdrive’s internal power supply broke.  On one of the newer models, that’s impossible to fix without getting a whole new ‘drive. But since this is one of the older models, it’s powered by a compact fission reactor-”

Obi-Wan, who was also acting as translator, interrupted apologetically with Brad’s thoughts on the matter.

_ “Your ship is powered by a nuclear reactor?!” _   Anakin shrugged.

“Not sure what that means exactly, but yeah.”

“And your touching it with your  _ bare hands?!” _   Anakin’s pretty sure his Master deleted some curse words from that translation.  Again, Anakin shrugged.  

“If you can get the parts I need, we can stop Dooku and get into more civilized regions of the galaxy.”  Dave looked thoughtful.

“I can get you into a nuke plant.”  The others stared at him in shock.

Jade raised an eyebrow.  “You wern’t always a fucking US History teacher then.”

Dave smilled.  “Nope.”


End file.
